Grant to provide more enforcement for cell phone, texting violations by teen drivers

SACRAMENTO – Distracted driving is a serious safety concern for all drivers throughout California, especially teen drivers. Eighty percent of vehicle crashes involve some kind of driver distraction. Talking on the cell phone or texting is the main source of driver distraction. The California Highway Patrol (CHP) is urging teenage drivers to stop texting, put away cell phones, and focus on driving. In an effort save lives, CHP along with Impact Teen Drivers will be conducting a year-long teen distracted driving traffic safety campaign through September 2013.

“The California Office of Traffic Safety grant is an exciting opportunity for Impact Teen Drivers and the CHP to continue to be at the forefront of decreasing the number of collisions and deaths associated with distracted teen drivers,” said Kelly Browning, executive director of Impact Teen Drivers. “It will take a strong combination of education and enforcement to have a fundamental and sustained behavior shift toward driving distraction free.”

California drivers age 20 years or older were involved in nearly 22,000 collisions from October 1, 2009 – September 30, 2010, in which a distraction was documented as a factor in the cause of the crash. As new drivers, teens are at an even greater risk of being involved in collisions due to distracted driving because of the peer pressures to stay immediately connected to their friends via text and cell phone. Teenage distracted driving is one of the leading contributors to collisions and near collisions.

“The CHP is urging teen drivers to focus on driving. Eliminate the urge to text or call by putting away the distractions,” said Commissioner Joe Farrow. “Through education, enforcement, and the continued partnership between the CHP and Impact Teen Drivers, we can change this dangerous behavior.”

The 12-month, grant-funded Teen Distracted Drivers Education and Enforcement II campaign consists of an education component, as well as distracted driver enforcement operations to be conducted throughout the state.

Funding for this program was provided by a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.